In many cases, companies default to cubicle overhauls that require a lot of moving parts: rewiring cables, moving employees to temporary workstations and an install crew that comes in after hours to do the installation.

Our desk and table mount privacy panels give you a seamless solution that reduces work interruptions and, in many cases, can be installed by your team with only minor inconveniences.

In theory, this sounds great, but you should take a moment to think about all the aspects of an installation, no matter how easy it may seem.

Are the new mounts adjustable and will they damage existing furniture? How easy are adjustments? What size options are there? Are there color options? What’s the warranty?

We’ll cover each of these topics in the next few minutes.

Simple, Fluid Privacy Panel Installation

Our mounts work with desks between ¾-of-an-inch thick to 2.5 inches thick, which means there’s a good chance we can find a solution for your existing furniture.

The clamps we use to secure our privacy panels are designed well and don’t damage your furniture. It takes about five minutes to install them with an Allen wrench we provide.

Our mounts also feature channels that can work side-to-side or front-to-back.

Versatile Panel Sizes and Colors

Our panels for desks and tables come in three different heights and eight different widths. We can also create custom sizes for you.

We also offer 12 different frame colors so you can stick with the office color-palate or add variation.

If you want to cut down on sound transfer between workspaces, acoustical panels are a good choice. They come in 20 different types of fabrics. And, just like our ability to customize panel sizes, we can also customize panel colors.

Sound Transmission Class

This last concept is an indication of how effective our panels are. A product’s STC rating is a measurement of how much sound is lost when it passes through a wall or a panel.

A reduction of 10 decibels is actually heard as a 50% reduction in noise levels.

Our acoustical tile panels have an STC rating of 26, which means your employees will note a significant reduction in ambient noise as soon as your panels are installed.

A First-Hand Look at a Panel Installation

As we mentioned earlier, our panels are a simple, elegant solution for increasing the privacy of your office’s workspaces.

Our website includes a series of videos that show just how easy installation is. Here is one of those videos:

This video highlights the greatest advantage to using OBEX to increase your office’s audio and visual privacy. It’s a fantastic alternative to tearing down and rebuilding a cubicle, which costs hundreds of dollars in labor costs.

And that cost doesn’t factor in the down time for rerouting cables and moving computers, cables and keyboards.

All of this creates stress and reduced productivity. It’s labor-intensive, it’s disruptive and there aren’t many companies who can do installations during normal working hours.

Some Final Thoughts About Table and Desk Privacy Panels

If you’re new to privacy panels, the solutions may seem unbelievably simple – and they are.

We’ve put a lot of time into finding solutions for our clients that help them keep the ship running smoothly as we install their panels.

The result is a line of desk and table privacy panels with a wide range of sizes, colors and customizable options that easily integrate our products into your office’s existing design themes.

If you have any questions about our panels, customizations or the installation process contact us by email or give us a call at (888)323-6986.

With the new year upon us, it’s time to make some changes in the office.

It starts with that crazy rumor flying around that Mike in accounting starting dating Kendall in HR at the corporate retreat. Yes, 2017 is your chance to end your office’s continual cycle of passing around tasty little morsels of hijinks and hearsay.

There are obvious reasons you need to bring an end to the rumor mill: employee morale will suffer, co-workers will build insurmountable rifts and, in some cases, reputations will be ruined.

However, not every office gossip cycle will bring an end to the harmony you’ve built at the office. In some cases, you can stop the rumor-based ruination before it starts. In other situations, you’ll have to confront a rumor that has momentum, then mend the conflicts it created

Navigating those scenarios can be tough, though. That’s why we’ve researched to come up with a guide for handling office gossip that will help you curb strained or broken relationships and head into the rest of the year with some much-needed peace.

Don’t Ignore the Gossip Cycle

If you’re non-confrontational, gossip presents a series of awkward what-ifs:

What if you overhear a conversation you didn’t want to hear?

What if the rumor floating around involves you?

What if people are looking to you to kill the rumor?

In each of these scenarios, circumstances demand that you take action, regardless of your disposition. You may want to crawl back in your office and crunch numbers or make calls, but you’ve got to act.

Ignoring the rumors does a few things to you and your employees’ psyche. When you choose not to confront the situation when you first hear of it, there’s a good chance you’ll be less likely to confront it in the future when it is once more brought to your attention.

When your employees observe this passivity happening, they’ll lose faith in your ability to resolve relational problems and be left wondering where the solution will come from.

In both cases, nobody feels comfortable.

Be Direct, But Don’t Attack

So, let’s say one of your supervisors comes to you and says there’s a vicious little rumor floating around that Mike and Kendall started dating at the company retreat. Everyone knows that dating isn’t prohibited, but they also know it’s not the best choice.

In this case, there are no rules being broken, which means this isn’t a scenario you pass off to HR. Find a time to get together with both employees and be straightforward: “There’s a rumor going around that you guys started dating. It’s not against company policy, so you don’t have to worry about any repercussions. I just want to know what’s going on so we can clear this up.”

The goal here isn’t to accuse, because there’s nothing that shuts down or prolongs a confrontation quicker than people getting defensive.

Give the benefit of the doubt, but don’t patronize. Your workplace is made up of adults, and though the office doesn’t always act on-point, they have the ability to deal with truth and move on.

Beat Your Staff to the Punch

Relationships aren’t the only classic rumor topics. Promotions, hirings and firings tend to be fertile ground for half-truths and jealousy.

So, rather than make moves in secret – they won’t be secret for long – institute a policy of transparency. If there are changes being made, let your staff know. Be the first to break the news about personnel changes and you’ll find that many of the rumors that would normally pop up aren’t there anymore.

Think about it from your employees’ perspective. They see you take someone into an office, and then a few minutes later that person comes out of the office with a dejected look on their face and doesn’t return to their desk.

That kind of scenario is like a neon marquee flashing all kinds of possibilities that your office will debate for days to come.

Did You Hear that the Boss Is Trying to End Office Gossip?

We’re not going to deceive ourselves into thinking all office gossip can be solved by the three tips we gave in this article. Office rumors often involve relationships and politics, and those two arenas are not black and white.

However, you can set a precedent of honesty and quick action if you decide not to ignore gossip, confront it directly and announce changes early.

With the new year upon us, it’s time to make some changes in the office.

It starts with that crazy rumor flying around that Mike in accounting starting dating Kendall in HR at the corporate retreat. Yes, 2017 is your chance to end your office’s continual cycle of passing around tasty little morsels of hijinks and hearsay.

There are obvious reasons you need to bring an end to the rumor mill: employee morale will suffer, co-workers will build insurmountable rifts and, in some cases, reputations will be ruined.

However, not every office gossip cycle will bring an end to the harmony you’ve built at the office. In some cases, you can stop the rumor-based ruination before it starts. In other situations, you’ll have to confront a rumor that has momentum, then mend the conflicts it created

Navigating those scenarios can be tough, though. That’s why we’ve researched to come up with a guide for handling office gossip that will help you curb strained or broken relationships and head into the rest of the year with some much-needed peace.

Don’t Ignore the Gossip Cycle

If you’re non-confrontational, gossip presents a series of awkward what-ifs:

What if you overhear a conversation you didn’t want to hear?

What if the rumor floating around involves you?

What if people are looking to you to kill the rumor?

In each of these scenarios, circumstances demand that you take action, regardless of your disposition. You may want to crawl back in your office and crunch numbers or make calls, but you’ve got to act.

Ignoring the rumors does a few things to you and your employees’ psyche. When you choose not to confront the situation when you first hear of it, there’s a good chance you’ll be less likely to confront it in the future when it is once more brought to your attention.

When your employees observe this passivity happening, they’ll lose faith in your ability to resolve relational problems and be left wondering where the solution will come from.

In both cases, nobody feels comfortable.

Be Direct, But Don’t Attack

So, let’s say one of your supervisors comes to you and says there’s a vicious little rumor floating around that Mike and Kendall started dating at the company retreat. Everyone knows that dating isn’t prohibited, but they also know it’s not the best choice.

In this case, there are no rules being broken, which means this isn’t a scenario you pass off to HR. Find a time to get together with both employees and be straightforward: “There’s a rumor going around that you guys started dating. It’s not against company policy, so you don’t have to worry about any repercussions. I just want to know what’s going on so we can clear this up.”

The goal here isn’t to accuse, because there’s nothing that shuts down or prolongs a confrontation quicker than people getting defensive.

Give the benefit of the doubt, but don’t patronize. Your workplace is made up of adults, and though the office doesn’t always act on-point, they have the ability to deal with truth and move on.

Beat Your Staff to the Punch

Relationships aren’t the only classic rumor topics. Promotions, hirings and firings tend to be fertile ground for half-truths and jealousy.

So, rather than make moves in secret – they won’t be secret for long – institute a policy of transparency. If there are changes being made, let your staff know. Be the first to break the news about personnel changes and you’ll find that many of the rumors that would normally pop up aren’t there anymore.

Think about it from your employees’ perspective. They see you take someone into an office, and then a few minutes later that person comes out of the office with a dejected look on their face and doesn’t return to their desk.

That kind of scenario is like a neon marquee flashing all kinds of possibilities that your office will debate for days to come.

Did You Hear that the Boss Is Trying to End Office Gossip?

We’re not going to deceive ourselves into thinking all office gossip can be solved by the three tips we gave in this article. Office rumors often involve relationships and politics, and those two arenas are not black and white.

However, you can set a precedent of honesty and quick action if you decide not to ignore gossip, confront it directly and announce changes early.

This is your chance for a fresh start not only in your personal life but in your professional life as well. In the first part of our series on bringing life to your office in 2017, we discussed three practical things you could do to upgrade your cubicle: a new Herman Miller chair, an HP keyboard and a Logitech mouse.

While the Herman Miller has some style, the mouse and keyboard are a little on the drab side. In this post, we’re going to tackle the fashion side of things and show you how you can bring new life to your personal appearance in this new year.

Want to Keep Up Your Accessories? Try a Subscription Service

Fashion has come a long way since eager shoppers flipped through the pages of a catalog to find out what was trending.

These days, the average office worker who wants to perk up their fashion accoutrement doesn’t have to browse a print or online catalog. You can sign up for cheap monthly subscription services that send you a box of accessories tailored to your preferences.

SprezzaBox

For example, SprezzaBox, a men’s subscription service, sends monthly boxes filled with the essentials of a man’s life. Their December 2016 box included a handsome fabric skinny tie, a leather cord holder, a pocket square, a pair of dapper sox and a pocket flask.

While the flask isn’t appropriate for work, the other accessories are. At $28 a month, it’s an easy and affordable way to keep your closet fresh with the latest trends.

Rocksbox

Rocksbox is a great choice for women who love mixing up their jewelry choices. You tell Rocksbox what your style and color preferences are and they send you a box with three pieces in it.

You can use those pieces as long as you want. If they’re good enough to buy, you get a discounted price. If you want to move on to something else, just send the jewelry back and they’ll send you another box with three new pieces.

Need Serious Upgrades to Fragrances and Watches? Head to Discount Stores

We always notice specific things about a person when we meet someone, whether it’s their facial features, their smell, their watch, outfit or shoes. It’s hard to say that one area impresses more than another, but we do know that certain choices about your fragrance and your watch can clinch a favorable impression.

Here’s the problem, though. Watches, cologne and perfume are expensive, and if you go for budget options in any of these categories, it will be easy to tell.

Fragrances

Enter discount stores like Ross, TJ Maxx and Marshalls. These stores feature robust fragrance sections where you can buy brand names like Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Versace and Burberry for substantially less than you would at a department store.

Watches

You’ll also find equally good deals on impressive name-brand watches at discounted prices. Unlike their fragrances, which tend to be readily available at any time of the year, watches and discount stores come and go in waves. Sometimes the well will be plentiful – Invicta watches have been known to pass through discount stores – and sometimes the well will run dry.

If you’re looking to buy a watch from one of these stores, make a few preliminary runs about a month before so you can get a sense of what’s out there.

Looking Ahead to Next Month

New ties? Check. Beautiful jewelry? Check. A nice watch and memorable fragrances to go with it? Check. We hope you’ve been inspired to spend a few extra bucks to add a little style to your work wardrobe.

The first two posts in this series addressed material things – fashion extras and new cubicle company. The next two posts in the series will deal with the interpersonal side of office life: how to improve relationships with your boss and fellow employees, and how to improve communication between everyone.

Just think about the walk from your desk to the break room. The floor has new stains, cubicles are marked with dents and scrapes. Fabric dividers start to fray at the edges. Chairs squeak a little more and the fluorescent glow of recessed lighting just seems a little more yellow.

There are ways to combat this inevitable decline. We learned this over the past year by studying trends in office design and equipment, employee perks, dress codes and other areas of office life. During the next few months we’re going share what we’ve learned with ideas for sprucing up your office as we head into 2017.

It’s Time to Upgrade Your Office Chair

Over the past few years, we’ve read a ton of information about office chairs. Some of that research has been history based, while other bouts of fact-finding focused on the ever-timeless Herman Miller line of chairs.

Simply put, what you’re sitting in at work matters; it matters to your back and to the rest of your body. If your spine is aching or your wrists and hands are sore, you aren’t going to perform at the highest possible level.

If you’re going to splurge on a gift for yourself or work with your procurement department to upgrade, we suggest the Herman Miller SAYL. While it’s not at the level of Herman Miller’s legendary Aeron, the chair is a fantastic buy for someone looking for solid support, style and a reliable brand name.

We talked about the SAYL this past year, noting that one furniture site said the chair is better suited for the conference room than it is for the desk. However, between then and now, the SAYL has become somewhat of a unicorn in the tech world.

The sticker price on the SAYL is around $530 and the chair is worth every dime.

Kiss that Keyboard Goodbye

Anyone who’s worked in a traditional office has probably laid their hands on a standard issue HP or Dell keyboard with sky-high keys and that familiar muted thump-thump-thump.

In this new year, make the switch to a chiclet keyboard. These low-profile keys allow you to type quicker by using less pressure to push down each individual key.

One of the most popular (and affordable) chiclet keyboards at Best Buy is the HP K3500. It has the full keyboard with number pad and is wireless. For $29.99, you’ll have a hard time finding a better value.

Bid Farewell to That Ailing Mouse

Owning a mouse that isn’t quite perfect is like driving a car with a squeaky serpentine belt. Most of the time it works fine, but once it starts acting up, the annoyance is nearly unbearable.

In some cases, a mouse that doesn’t track or a scroll wheel that doesn’t spin is a matter of a quick clean. But, if you’ve given the old chap a good run and he’s near the end of his electronic life, it makes no sense to hobble into the new year with him.

Unlike a new office chair, a quality mouse will cost you less than $50. In fact, we found a pair of mice you can use for the office and travel than will cost you less than $40.

The Logitech M320 has been likened to the Honda Accord of the mouse world. It’s reliable, lasts a long time and comes from a reputable company.

The M320 has a two-button setup with a scroll wheel. It’s simple, but not shoddy; it was a PC Mag Editor’s Choice.

If you travel often for work, then consider the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Mouse 3600. This workhorse is small enough to fit in your pocket but provides the hand support you need when you’re clicking through reports for hours on a cross-country flight.

It’s one thing to pick an outfit for an interview, but it’s an entirely different task to keep your wardrobe updated and fresh.

But let’s be honest – we don’t all have the time or the money to head to our favorite department store every month to reload our stash of ties, jewelry, pants, blouses, shoes and shirts. In years past, a lack of online options meant that you had to spend a few hours every month finding clothes and accessories to keep things fresh.

Nowadays, you have a wide selection of online retailers from which to choose the clothes that best fit your style and your workplace dress code.

We’re going to review a few of those websites, included subscription services that send you monthly combinations of accessories.

For the Gentlemen: SprezzaBox

SprezzaBox offers two different subscription prices: $25 a month if you pay a year’s worth of deliveries up front ($300), or $28 a month.

Their service delivers one box a month that has 5-7 items like ties, pocket squares, tie tacks and grooming products. You’ll also occasionally get items like sunglasses and watches, as well as lifestyle products like wine stoppers and corkscrews.

You won’t know what’s in your box until it arrives, but Sprezza’s stylists assure you that their hand-selected items are as stylish as they are affordable.

In terms of value, several of the company’s most recent boxes were priced at more than $100 when each individual item was valued. In that sense, these boxes offer great value.

Here’s an example of the contents of a recent box called “The Chelsea”:

Tie

Pocket Square

Socks

Coasters

Wine Pourer & Stopper

Corkscrew

According to Sprezza, the box was worth $112.

As you can see, Sprezza’s boxes offer a wide variety of items, but not all of them are fashion related. However, the fashion items they do feature tend to be stylish and current, which are two things you want out of your wardrobe.

“What can I tell you about SprezzaBox that I haven’t already told you? This subscription box is definitely on my ‘favorites’ list, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. I’ve seen men’s subscription boxes come and go, but this one has consistently delivered great boxes since they opened their doors, and I don’t see them going anywhere anytime soon.”

For the Ladies: RocksBox

RocksBox is a jewelry-only subscription service whose unique feature is that recipients “borrow” the jewelry for $19 a month. If you like your jewelry and want to keep it, you can purchase the piece at the RocksBox price. If you’re ready for a new set of jewelry, you can send all your items back and receive fresh pieces.

One of the things that really stands out about this subscription service is the personalization that comes with every box. The type of pieces you receive are based on a style quiz you take when you sign up. From there, RocksBox stylists put your box together and add a personalized note.

“RocksBox won our hearts with no contest,” Nylon wrote. “Not only does the service let you try before you buy, everything down to the packaging and personalized insert card was smartly put together, fresh and trendy.”

Final Thoughts on Workplace Dress Codes, Instruments and More

We hope that our series on workplace dress codes and tips helped you get a better understanding of how to approach your work wardrobe and, for employers, how to create a dress code that communicates your company’s own brand of professionalism.

If there’s one thing we’ve learned through our research, it’s that from an employee’s perspective the way you dress shouldn’t be an afterthought. Your wardrobe can strengthen your standing as a reliable, organized employee, or it can reinforce others’ views about your lack of organization and attention to detail.

While we’ve spent a good bit of time talking clothes and accessories, don’t forget that your office serves the same purpose as your wardrobe. You want something comfortable, well made and representative of who you are as a company.

You also want individual spaces where employees can have a sense of privacy and identity. Stop by the OBEX Product page to browse our latest products, all of which can be easily installed onto your existing desk layout.

In the first part of our series on workplace dress codes, we covered the definition of a dress code and talked about the various aspects of business formal.

In this post, we’re discussing some of the intricacies of a business casual dress code.

Business Casual Represents a Shift

As human-resources website The Balance pointed out, workplace dress codes are becoming increasingly more casual. The days of Mad-Men style suits, watches and ties are moving into their zenith as jeans and TOMS take over.

This isn’t just a hunch, either. The shift in dress code has been well-documented over the years. An article from Forbes contributor Jacob Morgan explores this shift.

He was meeting with one of the world’s largest retailers for a consultation about making the company more transparent and less hierarchical.

His first impression? Hundreds of employees were silently working at their cubicles in full suit and tie. He said it was obvious they were uncomfortable and they weren’t dressed this way for customers because they didn’t interact with customers.

The CEO of the company said suit-and-tie was the dress code when he arrived and he didn’t plan on changing it.

Here’s what Morgan wrote:

“Does it really matter if you show up in a T-shirt versus a suit and tie? Should organizations enforce dress code? Does dress code really have an impact on corporate culture? You bet it does!”

With that in mind, you should consider how your dress code relates to the culture you want to foster in your workplace. Will suit-and-tie guidelines mesh with a desire to have a relaxed, open workplace?

Also, consider your customer interaction and your product or service: Is what you’re selling and who you’re pitching consistent with what your employees are wearing?

To give you a sense of what “business casual” encompasses, we’ll list some of the guidelines included in The Balance’s sample text for a workplace’s business casual dress code:

Polo shirts with khaki pants

Sweater and collared shirt with khakis

Jacket, sweater and skirt

Of course, these are general guidelines for most professional workplaces. Shorts, t-shirts and sandals are acceptable in some cases. Just remember, you shouldn’t think of your dress code as mutually exclusive from other aspects of your corporate culture.

Consider it part of an interrelated matrix of philosophies and goals for your team. As you craft a new dress code or adjust your existing one, consider what you sell, to whom you are selling and what kind of culture you want in your workplace. This should make your dress code decisions much easier.

The other variable here is your workforce. What are your employees’ cultural backgrounds? What have they been told about your dress code?

Canadian human resources site HR Council says it’s important to be mindful of your employees as you craft your dress code. Their four reminders are:

Keep your dress code language gender-neutral

Consider the cultural background of your employees

Allow your employees to participate in the formation of dress-code policy

Review your dress code during onboarding.

If you want code examples for your organization, take a look at this sample dress code from the Society for Human Resources Management. Their sample code is for business formal, with a detailed section for business casual dress-down days.

One More Post to Go…And It’s a Good One

Our series on dress codes continues with tips and tricks for dressing stylish while not being pretentious, as well as websites and subscription services that can enhance your wardrobe without breaking the bank.

In the meantime, take a look at the first post in our series. We cover the basics of the definition of a dress code and offer suggestions and links concerning a business-formal dress code.

“You are how you dress” sounds a little harsh when it comes to workplace attire, but the truth is how you present yourself at work will influence the way you’re treated and the way people perceive you.

The variables can be difficult to navigate. And the task becomes even more complicated when you throw in things like the proverbial casual Friday and other events where dress codes change.

Part of the problem with dress codes is that every company interprets the terms differently. For instance, heading to work at Apple means putting on an Apple t-shirt and the rest is up to you. A reporter may have to dress in slacks, a dress shirt and tie at one paper while being allowed to sport jeans and a polo in a different newsroom.

We’re going to spend the next two posts unraveling the world of workplace dress codes, relying on the opinions and insights of popular HR and business websites.

Dress Code: The Definition

Dress codes can be like speeding laws. Some people approach them as rigid while others see them as suggestions rather than decrees. Given the non-confrontational manner of most workers today, you can see how the meaning of dress codes can become fuzzy when employees and managers fail to enforce the rules.

“A dress code is a set of standards that companies develop to help provide their employees with guidance about what is appropriate to wear to work. The formality of the workplace dress code is normally determined by the number of interactions employees have with customers or clients.”

We like the aspect of customer interaction here, because we agree with the notion that clients dictate dress code. Let’s use Starbucks as an example. People go there for coffee and food and an employee’s clothing rarely influences whether a customer wants to buy a product. And, the product is relatively inexpensive as most items can be had for less than $5.

On the other hand, if you’re handling multi-million dollar mutual funds pitched to C-level workers, shorts, a polo shirt and a green apron would be embarrassingly out of place. Suits –tailored, designer suits – are a must, as are great shoes, a nice watch and a stylish tie.

Particularly in sales environments, dress codes will be tailored to the client. One wrong color or accessory could lose a huge sale so the details are important.

“Depending on the organization, the dress code may be written in great detail, or, in the case of a casual dress code, very little detail is necessary,” The Balance’s Susan Heathfield wrote. “Over the years, employees have seen a shift towards a more casual dress standard, even in industries that were previously very formal.”

Heathfield does well to point out the shift to a more casual workplace; startups with insanely high valuations are packed with twentysomethings wearing jeans and t-shirts.

And that brings us to our next section, the two types of dress codes.

The Two Main Dress Code Options: Formal and Casual

Every workplace you encounter will have some form of a dress code, and that code will usually follow two schools of thought: business formal or business casual.

“Business attire for men includes suits, sports jackets and pants that are typical of business formal attire at work,” their sample document says. “For women, business attire includes pant and skirt suits and sports jackets appropriate to a formal business attire environment.”

Again, each company has flexibility with the level of detail in these dress codes. In high-level sales positions, there could be specific rules about the type of suit and tie you wear, or perhaps the type of watch you wear.

Either way, the goal here is to present the company as professional, intelligent and meticulous; dressing accordingly can reinforce your organization’s strengths and focus.

Each employee has the freedom to navigate the dress code within the parameters the company sets forth.

For example, Canada’s McMaster University points out that the darker the suit, the more formal. As for the dress shirt or blouse beneath, white, blue and beige are go-to, “safe” colors. Here are some other solid strategies:

Women’s jackets should range between ¾ length or short sleeve, depending on the season.

Crop pant suits are okay, but shouldn’t be worn during an interview

Men should avoid bold colors or patters in dress shirts.

In a three-piece suit, always match the vest’s material and color with the jacket and slacks.

Read Our Next Post for Business Casual Guidelines…

In the second part of our series on workplace dress codes, we’ll talk about the guidelines for business casual. We’ll learn why your dress code affects more than your customers’ first impressions; it can create a clash between the company’s desired direction and its culture.

Each of these principles, when working together, creates a happy relationship. These same ideas (minus the engagement ring) are easily translatable to the workplace and provide a sturdy framework for lasting success.

A dedication to being attentive and considerate of others’ opinions, time, and efforts

A willingness to work as a team to achieve shared goals

Without these bedrock principles in place, Entrepreneur contributor John Boitnott says, you open yourself up to an unproductive professional environment that comes with many obstacles between you and advancement.

“Being an active member of a team also helps you increase your own productivity and opens the door to more career opportunities,” John writes.

In any relationship, professional or personal, by focusing on yourself and avoiding the role of “team player,” that extra sick day or pay bump or corner office with the skyline view is put a little farther out of reach.

Over the next few minutes we’ll talk about several areas that can turn you into a team player.

Communication, Communication, Communication: Hear Out Ideas

Just as location is everything in real estate, so too, is communication in the business world. Communication helps you develop strengths and discover weaknesses, facilitates meaningful, working relationships and promotes creativity and innovation through the sharing of ideas

Two-way feedback makes room for opportunities to discuss issues before they arise. It also strengthens relations that can become mutually beneficial over time, fostering success for the individual as well as the team. Communication is what allows collaboration to win over competition.

On top of avoiding misunderstandings, having consideration for your colleagues’ ideas and opinions creates an atmosphere of trust and open communication that allows you and your teammates to feel their voices are not only heard, but valued. Unnecessary conflict can be avoided when feedback is given and taken with respect and attentiveness.

Know When to Fold ‘Em: The Collective Over the Personal

It may seem a bit counterintuitive, but prioritizing the personal above the collective may not always be in your best interest, nor is it the path to long-term success.

Being rigid and inflexible rather than considerate and communicative also alienates you from coworkers, creates a more competitive environment and fosters unnecessary rivalries that are ultimately counterproductive for everyone.

Compromise is important, too. Again, everyone’s thoughts must be taken into consideration. Productivity stops when compromises don’t take place. Halting progress to hash out problems that could have otherwise been avoided through communication fuels an already frustrating situation and, more often than not, causes more problems than it solves.

Of course, executive decisions have to be made at some point, but active listening allows issues to be managed in a fair way, one in which everyone gets a say. Consideration for the team’s needs over the individual’s ensures that most, if not all, are satisfied about the outcome of a conflict and sets the tone for future friction to be solved quickly and efficiently.

All for One or One for All? Viewing Performance Through a Team Paradigm

In an article from Business Insider, an economics professor from the University of California, Santa Barbara contends that “when workers are ranked solely on individual performance, it may create a culture of back-stabbing.”

That said, being a team player can also be very self-serving. Instead of letting your hunger for success drive others away, share a little. Teamwork allows you to have your cake and eat it too. Better yet, you may end up with a bigger cake because of the effort your team put forth.

Michael Mamas, contributing writer for Entrepreneur and an expert in mastering success through teamwork, said the key to conquering the business world is being a team player, self-awareness and a good attitude.

“If you can’t get along with people, you won’t go far in the business world, no matter how smart and shrewd you are,” Mamas wrote.

Instead of dueling for higher rank at every opportunity, take the time to build meaningful relationships.

“Being an active member of a team also helps you increase your own productivity and opens the door to more career opportunities,” he wrote.

A Final Thought on Being a Team Player

In the fateful battle of the individual versus the team, “all for one” versus “one for all”, communicating with a positive attitude and a motivation to work together for the benefit of everyone will, most likely, create a solid first impression and set you apart from the crowd.

One thing we hear over and over again is that our panel extenders are so easy to install.

Companies who feel intimidated by a complete overhaul of their cubicles cower at the thought of throwing the office into upheaval. Extenders, on the other hand, help you avoid the chaos and provide privacy in about as long as it takes you to walk across the office to get a cup of coffee.

So, you can see why “easy” is a word that often comes up in discussions about our panel extenders. But ease of use is only part of the equation. Even low-quality solutions can be easy to set up. The key is to find a sensible, smooth solution that will last.

Over the next few minutes, we’re going to walk you through how to install our panel extenders and what it is about their construction that makes them work so well.

The Installation Process: One Tool Does It All

If you want to know how simple a project will be, tally up how many tools you need and how many pieces of hardware are involved.

Our panel extenders come with three things: universal adjustable brackets, the panels themselves and an Allen wrench. Whether you’re doing a panel-mount or desk-mount installation, the hardware and tools are the same.

Once you have your extenders in hand, installing them takes about 5 minutes. And that’s a true 5 minutes, whether you’re a handyman or you’ve never laid a finger on a wrench in your life.

To show you what we mean, we’ll walk you through the process via photos:

This photo is a great shot of our adjustable brackets. Our brackets come in two sizes: standard and large. The standards fit panels from 1.5-inches to 3-inches thick, while the large brackets fit panels ranging in width from 3 inches to 3.75 inches.

Once these brackets are fixed to the existing panel, drop in the new panel tile and use the Allen wrench to tighten up the brackets and anchor the panel into place.

Our desk-mount panels are installed the same way, except the brackets are fixed to the ends of the desk. And that’s it; that’s how you install our panel extenders.

How they Work: The Magic Behind Blocking Out the Noise

Once your panel extenders are in place, you’re going to notice a difference in how much sound is able to penetrate your workspace.

The reason why our panel tiles are so effective at blocking noise from reaching your desk is because they’re made out of a pair of quality materials specifically designed to deaden sound waves.

Each panel is made of an outer fabric cover and an inner sheet of fiberboard. For our outer fabric we’ve chosen a fireproof, recycled product that provides the first barrier of defense.

Once sound passes through the fabric layer, it encounters a thick layer of fiberboard. We use a type of fiberboard called Soundboard, known for its ability to deaden sound without adding too much bulk.

Soundboard, as well as other materials, are rated on two different scales to determine how good they are at blocking sound. Those two scales are called the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) and Sound Transmission Class (STC).

Noise Reduction Coefficient

The NRC scale goes from 0 to 1 and judges how well a material can absorb sound. Sound is divided into its own categories called frequencies. The frequencies we’re most concerned about are mid-range frequencies, which is the range in which you’ll find the human voice.

Our panels have an NRC rating of 0.35, which represents a significant reduction in noise, including mid-range frequencies.

Sound Transmission Class

STC ratings are scores that represent how many decibels are lost when a sound passes through the material. An STC rating of 20 means the material blocks out 20 decibels. To give you a reference point, the human ear perceives a loss of 10 decibels as a 50% reduction in hearing ability.

The panel extenders we offer have an STC rating of 26; that’s a pretty big drop in noise.

Overall, our acoustical tile panels are 50% better at deadening noise than non-acoustic extenders, and while they’ll cost you a little more than a basic plastic panel, you’ll get more than your money’s worth with a quiet, calm workspace that increases productivity and privacy.